Your UR Stories

If you hang around me, you probably get annoyed by how many times I say the word “story,” but it is definitely embedded in my DNA. Our stories are extremely important. They have the ability to change the world around us. When a story can do that it shows me just how special they are.

So a few weeks back I was driving and this idea popped in my head. I wanted to share it.

Your story is shaped by UR stories.

What do I mean by that? Our stories are shaped by how we see ourselves. In other words, how would you finish the next sentence? You Are…. Your stories are shaped by UR (you are) stories. How we see ourselves will ultimately shape our stories. If we see ourselves as terrible people, then we may find that we are not the hero of our own story, rather we will become the archenemy. If we see ourselves as a loser, then how will our stories end with us victorious?

Let me share with you the progression of my UR stories. About 3.5 years ago, I remember laying in my bed at my parents house unable to sleep because of the UR stories I was telling myself. I really messed up. I had lost everything I held dear. I had people saying terrible things about me, and I started to believe every word they said. My ‘UR’ stories sounded like this. You are a monster. You are a terrible human being. You are a disgrace. You are awful. You are a sinner. These are the stories that were shaping my life. I truly believed every last word. I would begin to lay in bed balling my eyes out. Too scared to talk to God because I was embarrassed and full of shame and guilt. I had no outlet. All I did was allow those UR stories to feed my insecurities and my fears, and as I kept feeding and feeding them, my identitywas slowly beginning todisappear.

I would eventually be able to cope with those beliefs and ‘act’ like I no longer believed them, but internally I believed those UR stories for another couple of years. It wasn’t until I started sharing my story with a few people that I started to realize that people could still love me. They would still call me a friend. I started to experience the grace that I so desperately needed. As I found a church that started to feed me spiritually, I started to create new UR stories that started shaping my story all over again.

My UR stories started sounding like this. You are loved. You are a child of God. You are beautiful. You are forgiven. You are wonderfully made. You are mine. I started believing these UR Stories and I found myself feeling more and more like a human being. As I filled myself on the words of Jesus, I had no more room for the old UR stories that held me captive. They slowly had no powers over me.

Maybe you have UR stories that are holding you back. UR stories that are holding you captive. UR stories that are keeping you from the truth of who you are. No matter what you have done. No matter what has happened, your story should be shaped by stories of how amazing you are. You… yes you… the reader of this… you are wonderfully made. You are loved. You are a child of God. And hear this. You are forgiven.

Create UR stories that will make you conquer this world. My UR story that I am holding near and dear to my heart lately is UR Fierce. I want to be a force to be reckoned with. I want to be a force that will never settle. Never give up. A force that will empower others to reclaim their stories and rewrite their UR stories.

Your story is shaped by UR stories. So this week – do not let those UR stories that are negative hold you back any longer. Listen to these truths and know that myself, God, and so many others are in your corner ready to see you be a game changer in this world. A force to be reckoned with.

You are a gift. You are loved. You are fierce. You are strong. You are fearless. You are forgiven. You are beautiful. You are confident. You are ambitious. You are wonderful. You areredeemed. You are determined. You are a bright light. You are a child of God.

“Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life. Do not be afraid, for I am with you.” – Isaiah 43:4-5 NIV